STOCKHOLM: Sweden's new centre-left government will recognize the state of Palestine in a move that will make it the first major European country to take the step, Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said on Friday.

'A few days ago I studied the names of the EU commissioners under Mr Juncker, and their portfolios. We in my country say that 16 is already too high for having meaningful portfolios. But the EU now has 28, more than in any country

The suppression of gold prices is essential at all costs to the Anglo-American banking interests. The saber rattling and attempts to lure Russia and China into military conflict are about who controls the financial world.

NEWPORT, Wales—Seeking to counter Russian aggression, NATO leaders approved plans Friday to post several thousand troops in Eastern Europe who could quickly mobilize if an alliance country in the region were to come under attack.
NATO Secretary

Curious why everything is being bought in the aftermath of last week's ECB's unprecedented announcement, and both bonds and stocks are either at or just shy of record highs ignoring completely the worst US nonfarm payroll print of 2014? JPM's Nikolao

The European Central Bank meeting on Thursday is the prime event for markets seeking clarity on the bank's response to a stalled recovery, disappearing inflation and the sluggish pace of reform in the euro zone.

Last Saturday, Angela Merkel went to Kiev to pledge increased financial and political support for the coup-installed regime's war against separatist forces in the eastern and largely Russian-speaking part of Ukraine.

In a typical Judo move, Putin has used the momentum of the the West's Russia-basing and Putin-bashing campaign to his advantage across the board: Russia will benefit from this economically and politically.

The European Union agreed for the first time on Tuesday to impose broad sanctions against Russian oil companies, banks and defense firms, by far the strongest international action yet over Moscow's support for rebels in eastern Ukraine.